U.S. patent number 4,356,941 [Application Number 06/150,778] was granted by the patent office on 1982-11-02 for squeeze-type dispenser for powdered materials.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Republic Tool & Manufacturing Corporation. Invention is credited to John W. McRoskey, Delbert D. Swartz.
United States Patent |
4,356,941 |
McRoskey , et al. |
November 2, 1982 |
Squeeze-type dispenser for powdered materials
Abstract
A squeeze-type dispenser for a powdered material, commonly known
as a puffer duster, for producing a cloud of appropriate treating
powder for the control of insects and other infestations, and for
similar purposes, in which a squeeze container has a wall that is
deformable to decrease the volume of the container and produce a
pressurized air source therein to force a stream of air through a
passage to a connected nozzle, the passage comprising a thin walled
tube connected with the nozzle and having restricted inlet openings
so arranged that in any position of a partially filled container,
there will be at least one opening positioned in the powder and
another opening positioned in an air space within the container,
whereby movement of the pressurized air to the nozzle will carry
powder from the container to a tube section which is devoid of
openings and wherein the powder and air will be mixed in such a
manner that the powder will be ejected from the nozzle in the form
of a dusting cloud. The container is transversely so shaped as to
induce its being manually gripped in an oriented operating position
in which the nozzle discharge will be directed away from the
user.
Inventors: |
McRoskey; John W. (Los Angeles,
CA), Swartz; Delbert D. (Torrance, CA) |
Assignee: |
Republic Tool & Manufacturing
Corporation (Carlsbad, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
22535952 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/150,778 |
Filed: |
May 19, 1980 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/632;
222/211 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B
11/0059 (20130101); B65D 1/323 (20130101); B05B
11/045 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B05B
11/00 (20060101); B05B 11/04 (20060101); B65D
1/00 (20060101); B65D 1/32 (20060101); B65D
037/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/209,211,212,213,215,376,402.18,402.19,464,632,633 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bartuska; F. J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Whann & McManigal
Claims
We claim:
1. A squeeze type dispenser for dispensing a uniform cloud of a
powder material in any position of the dispenser, the dispenser
comprising:
a. a container adapted to be at least partially filled with powder
material to be dispensed therefrom, said container having a
deformable wall portion whereby, upon deformation, the volume of
the container will be reduced, said container having a nozzle end
and a closed end,
b. a dispensing nozzle at the nozzle end of said container,
c. passage forming means within said container having a nozzle
portion connected to said dispensing nozzle for delivering an
air-powder cloud therefrom, said passage forming means having an
intermediate portion connected to said nozzle portion and
positioned in the closed end of said container and an end portion
having one end thereof closed and the other end thereof connected
to said intermediate portion and positioned in the nozzle end of
said container, said intermediate portion being in the form of a
U-bend of at least 180.degree., said nozzle and end portions having
wall contacting sections thereof which contact said container wall,
and
d. at first restrictive opening means defined in said end portion,
a second restrictive opening means defined in said intermediate
portion closely adjacent to said end portion wall contacting
section, a third restrictive opening means defined in said
intermediate portion closely adjacent to said nozzle portion wall
contacting section with said nozzle wall contacting section being
located between said third restrictive opening means and said
dispensing nozzle so that in any orientation of said container
there will be at least one restrictive opening means in
communication with powder in said chamber, and one restrictive
opening means in communication with air in said container, each
restrictive opening means being of less cross-sectional area than
the cross-sectional area of a passage formed by said passage
forming means so that when said container is squeezed to increase
the pressure in said container, there will be a pressure drop
across each restrictive opening means between said container and
the passage in said passage forming means, said difference in
pressure causing a restricted flow of powder and air from the
container into the passage, said passage in said passage means
being closed from the interior of said container to be maintained
out of communication with the interior of said container between
said nozzle portion wall contacting section and said dispensing
nozzle to define a mixing chamber in which powder and air flowing
through said passage forming means thoroughly mix prior to reaching
said dispensing nozzle so that the air and powder flowing in said
passage forming means produce a uniform mixture of air and powder
irrespective of the operating position of said container.
2. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which said container has a
longitudinal channel along one side thereof and in which a
restrictive opening means is positioned in said channel.
3. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which:
the restrictive opening means of said U-bend are on opposite sides
of a central axis of the container.
4. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which there is a
longitudinal channel formed along the wall of said container and in
which a portion of the said passage forming means extends.
5. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the end portion of
said passage forming means is positioned at a location on the
opposite side of said container from said nozzle.
6. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said nozzle is
positioned at the top end of said longitudinal channel.
7. A squeeze-type dispenser for dispensing a uniform cloud of
powdered material in any position of the dispenser, the dispenser
comprising:
a. a container adapted to be at least partially filled with the
powder material to be dispensed therefrom, said container having a
deformable wall portion whereby, upon deformation, the volume of
the container will be reduced, said container having a nozzle end
and a closed end;
b. a dispensing nozzle at the nozzle end of said container;
c. passage forming means within said container having a passage
therewithin having a nozzle portion connected to said dispensing
nozzle, said passage forming means extending within said container
and having an intermediate portion connected to said nozzle portion
and positioned in the closed end thereof and an end portion having
one end thereof closed and the other end thereof connected to said
intermediate portion and positioned in the nozzle end to said
container in a position above the powder material level in said
container, when said container is in a substantially upright
position, said intermediate portion being in the form of a U-bend
of at least 180.degree., said nozzle and end portions having wall
contacting sections thereof which contact said container wall;
and
d. said passage forming means having a first restrictive opening
means in said end portion, a second restrictive opening means in
said intermediate portion thereof and defined in said intermediate
portion closely adjacent to said end portion wall contacting
section, a third restrictive opening means defined in said
intermediate portion closely adjacent to said nozzle portion wall
contacting section with said nozzle wall contacting section being
located between said third restrictive opening means and said
dispensing nozzle so that in any orientation of said container
there will be at least one restrictive opening means in
communication with powder in said chamber, and one restrictive
opening means in communication with air in said container, there
being at least one position of said restrictive opening means in
the end portion of said nozzle end of the container which, upon
deforming said deformable wall portion of said container, to reduce
the volume thereof in a generally upright position of the
container, air will be forced through the restrictive opening means
in the portion in said nozzle end and powdered material through the
restrictive opening means in the portion in said closed end, and
vice versa when said container is in a generally inverted position,
said passage in said passage means being closed from the interior
of said container to be maintained out of communication with the
interior of said container between said nozzle portion wall
contacting section and said dispensing nozzle to define a mixing
chamber in which powder and air flowing through said passage
forming means thoroughly mix prior to reaching said dispensing
nozzle so that the air and powder flowing in said passage forming
means produce a uniform mixture of air and powder irrespective of
the operating position of said container.
8. A dispenser according to claim 7, in which:
said restrictive opening means includes openings in longitudinally
spaced relation along said passage forming means, said restrictive
opening means being so relatively oriented within said container
that, in any position of use of the dispenser, there will be at
least one restrictive opening means in communication with the
powder, and at least one opening means in communication with an air
space within the container.
9. A dispenser according to claim 7, in which:
said passage forming means comprises a single continuous length of
thin-walled tube.
10. A dispenser according to claim 7, in which:
the container is formed between its ends with a generally
cylindrical main sidewall portion; and
a second sidewall portion, which forms a longitudinal channel in
which a portion of said passage forming means is positioned.
11. A dispenser according to claim 9, in which:
a secondary wall portion of said container defines an elongated
channel within and extending generally along one side of the
container, said channel being adapted to receive at least a portion
of one side of the tube U-bend therein in a manner to hold and
orient the U-bend substantially in a plane extending generally
diametrically of the container.
12. A combination as defined in claim 11 in which said nozzle is
positioned at the nozzle end of said elongated channel.
13. A squeeze type dispenser for a powder material comprising:
a. a container adapted to be at least partially filled with powder
material to be dispensed therefrom, said container having a
deformable wall portion whereby, upon deformation, the volume of
the container will be reduced, said container having a nozzle and a
closed end,
b. a dispensing nozzle at the nozzle end of the container,
c. a passage forming tube within said container having one end
connected with said nozzle, and said passage forming tube extending
near one wall of the container to the closed end of said container
and thereafter extending along an opposite portion of the container
wall to the nozzle end of said container, said passage forming tube
having restricted opening means in said tube at the area of the
closed end of said container and also in said tube on diametrically
opposed portions of said tube,
(d) said restricted opening means being positioned in said tube so
that at least one of said restrictive opening means communicates
with air space in the container and another of the restrictive
opening means in communication with a powder area, in all operative
positions of said dispenser, and
(e) there being a longitudinal channel formed in the wall of said
container and in which a portion of said passage forming tube
lies.
14. The combination as defined in claim 13 in which one of said
restrictive opening means lies in said channel.
Description
PRIOR ART
In the prior art, there are a number of dispensers for use and
dispensing of powders for the treatment of insects and other types
of infestations, and in which the dust is ejected through a nozzle
by means of a pressurized stream of air or other gas. The closest
art known to applicants are the following patent Nos.:
535,439--Mar. 12, 1895
1,609,674--Dec. 7, 1926
2,331,842--Oct. 12, 1943
2,981,444--Apr. 25, 1961
3,054,210--Sept. 18, 1962
3,069,098--Dec. 18, 1965
3,223,389--Dec. 14, 1965
3,499,582--Mar. 10, 1970
3,545,488--Dec. 8, 1970
4,091, 966--May 30, 1978
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to powder dusters.
It has been generally known for many years, as exemplified by U.S.
Pat. No. 535,439, dated Mar. 12, 1895 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,609,674,
dated Dec. 7, 1926, to provide insect dusters and sprayers of the
type in which wall portions of a bellows or container could be
manually deformed to compress air within the container to force a
powder therein through an opening or openings of a discharge tube
and emitted from an exterior end of the tube or a connected nozzle
into the atmosphere for dusting purposes. Such structures were at
most quite crude, and operatively leave much to be desired. For
example, these prior devices were not adapted to operate
effectively in all positions of orientation, and more particularly
did not operate effectively when the container was only partially
filled with the powder.
Later patents, as exemplifid by U.S. Pat. No. 2,981,444, dated Apr.
25, 1961 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,966, dated May 30, 1978, disclose
squeeze-type dispensers which attempt to overcome many of the
problems associated with the earlier devices, and disclose
embodiments which allegedly operate in either an upright or
inverted tilted position. In practice, however, it has been found
that there are positions in which these known devices did not
operate satisfactorily, and particularly, when the containers were
only partially filled with powder.
Both of the above noted patents, recognize the existing problem in
which compaction of the powder in the areas of the openings in the
discharge tube produced a deleterious effect which seriously
limited the operative effectiveness of the device. Thus, in
attempting to solve this and other problems inherent in the known
devices, the patentees have also provided supplemental intake
nozzle passages for communicating with the air in the top end of
the container, when operating in a substantially upright
position.
More specifically, the first of the above noted patents utilizes an
elongated discharge tube provided with a plurality of
longitudinally spaced openings therein, the tube being connected to
a nozzle within which it communicates with a nozzle mixing chamber
that is also in communication through one or more supplemental
passages with the adjacent upper end interior of the container.
The second of the above noted patents (Pat. No. 4,091,966) also
utilizes a supplemental passage for connecting the nozzle passage
with the upper end interior of the container. The discharge tube is
in this case formed by interconnected parallel tubes having their
lower ends connected by a fitting which provides a relatively sharp
U-bend with a single orifice at the bottom of the U-bend portion.
The upper end of one of the parallel tubes is connected with a
nozzle, while the other parallel tube has its upper end positioned
in communication through an unrestricted end opening with the upper
end interior of the container.
Applicants have discovered through exhaustive tests on squeeze-type
powder dispensers, constructed after the manner disclosed in the
above U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,981,444 and 4,091,966, that the successful
operation of squeeze-type powder dispenser particularly when in
tilted or inverted positions or only partially filled with powder,
is affected by a number of important factors which briefly include,
for example:
1. The relative diameter of a nozzle discharge opening, location
and arrangement of the restrictive openings at the inner end of the
discharge tube and at the U-bend portion of the tube, and by the
number of the restricted openings and their respective locations
along the discharge tube,
2. The provision of a discharge tube end portion at the nozzle
connected end of the discharge tube, which is devoid of restrictive
openings and provides a mixing chamber in which the powder and air
will be mixed in such a manner that the powder will be ejected from
the nozzle in the form of a dusting cloud,
3. The configuration of the container so as to retain the discharge
tube in a predetermined operative position within the container,
during all orientated positions of operation, and
4. A further consideration resides in the unique transverse
configuration of the container to induce its being manually gripped
in a natural manner during use so that the nozzle discharge will be
directed away from the user.
The present invention is more specifically directed to a
squeeze-type dispenser which is designed and constructed to take
maximum advantage of the foregoing factors and considerations in
overcoming the existing problems an disadvantages which are
inherent in the presently known and available devices for
dispensing of powder in a cloud formation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is more specifically concerned with
improvements in the construction and operation of powder dusters of
the squeeze-type to get far superior results to those of the prior
art.
Having in mind the inherent disadvantages and undesirable operating
characteristics of the currently available powder dusting devices,
it is one object of the present invention to provide a simple,
efficient, and durable squeeze-type powder duster device which will
operate effectively in its various positions of its
orientation.
A further object resides in the provision of a powder dispenser of
the squeeze-type in which a single continuous discharge tube is
looped to provide a U-shaped bend portion that is retained in a
predetermined orientation within the deformable container, one end
of the tube being connected to a nozzle and the other end or closed
end being in communication with the interior at the upper end of
the container, and in which restrictive openings are provided at
the other end part of the discharge tube and in or very close to
the U-bend portion in such locations that, in any oriented position
of operation, there will be at least one restrictive opening in
communication with a powder supply area and another restrictive
opening will be in communication with an air supply area within the
container, the U-bend portion providing a trap to minimize spilling
of the powder.
A further object is to provide a squeeze-type powder dispenser
according to the previous object in which the restrictive openings
in the U-bend portion of the discharge tube are positioned on
opposite sides of the U-shaped bend and on opposite sides of the
longitudinal axis of the container, and in which the end of the
discharge tube that is connected to the nozzle is devoid of
openings and forms a mixing chamber that prevents either air or
powder exiting from the nozzle prior to an intermixing thereof.
A further object resides in the provision of a powder dispenser of
the squeeze-type in which a deformable container mounts a directive
nozzle at one end, and in which the container is constructed
transversely to provide a configuration that is so shaped as to
induce its being manually gripped in an oriented position such that
the nozzle discharge will be directed away from the user.
A still further object is to provide a powder dispenser of the
squeeze-type having a deformable container, and which utilizes a
looped discharge tube within the container the container being
formed with a generally longitudinally extending side channel for
receiving a portion of the tube loop and anchoring it in a
predetermined position within the container in which the plane of
the loop extends substantially diametrically of the container.
Another object is to provide a powder dispenser of the squeeze-type
which in its preferred form utilizes a thin walled discharge tube
having a length of substantially 18 inches, and internal diameter
of substantially 0.200 of an inch, and a wall thickness of
substantially 0.040 of an inch, the tube being connected to a
nozzle having a discharge orifice of substantially 0.105 of an
inch, and with restrictive wall openings in the tube having a
diameter of substantially 0.050 of an inch.
It is also an object to provide a powder dispenser according to the
foregoing object in which the restrictive openings are arranged at
spaced locations longitudinally of the discharge tube.
It is a further object of our invention to provide a powder
dispenser of the class described in which the container is provided
with a longitudinal trough or channel along one side thereof in
which at least one restricted opening in the discharge tube will
lie in said channel so that when said powder dispenser is in an
inclined position and where there is a small amount of powder in
the container, this powder will move into the longitudinal channel
and be removed therefrom, thus exhausting a maximum amount of
powder.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out
in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed
description is for the purpose of fully disclosing a preferred
embodiment of the invention without placing limitations
thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative
purposes only;
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a powder dispenser embodying the
features of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view, taken
substantially on line 2--2 of FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrow
and showing the nozzle in section and the discharge tube in full
lines;
FIG. 3 is a further enlarged transverse sectional view, taken
substantially on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4a is a view showing the dispenser in an operative position
inclined from the upright position shown in FIG. 2, portions being
cut away to show the relationship of the discharge tube restricted
openings with respect to the powder and air supplies within the
container; and
FIG. 4b is a similar view for an operative position in which the
container is in a generally inverted and downwardly inclined
position.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative
purposes, the powder dispenser of the herein described invention is
illustrated as comprising a hollow container 10 of the squeeze-type
for the reception of a dusting powder as generally indicated by the
numeral 12. A discharge tube 14 is positioned within the container
and has one end in connection with a nozzle 16. The tube 14 extends
downwardly over to the side of the container opposite from the
nozzle 16, makes a bend at the bottom of the container and extends
upwardly along the side of the container on which the nozzle is
positioned. The upper end of the tube extends to the right to the
side of the container opposite from the nozzle and the end thereof
engages an end wall of the container. The tube is made from a
straight tubular member which is flexible and tends to maintain its
straight position. When inserted in the container, the tendency of
the tube to straighten conveniently holds the tube in the position
shown in the drawings and particularly in FIG. 2.
The discharge tube is closed at the end 48 and is provided with a
series of restrictive opening means in the form of restrictive
openings 18, longitudinally positioned in spaced relation along the
tube 14, the positions of the openings being indicated respectively
by the numerals 20a, 20b and 20d. In the form of the invention
disclosed, there is a single opening at positons 20a and at 20b,
and three openings at 20d. As will hereinafter be more specifically
described, the restrictive openings 18 are so positioned along the
discharge tube 14 that during any operative orientation of the
container, (which is at least partially filled with the powder 12)
there will at all times be at least one restrictive opening 18
positioned in a powder-containing space, and one restrictive
opening 18 positioned in an air-containing space within the
container so that when the container is deformed by the manual
application of a squeezing pressure against the side walls thereof,
the increased air pressure within the container will operate to
force powder and air into and through the discharge tube 14 and
through the connected nozzle 16 in a manner to form and eject a
powder cloud irrespective of the operative orientation of the
container. This is the operation which occurs whether the container
is in an upright, inverted or tilted position. Also such an
operation is effective even though the level of the powder within
the container is significantly reduced as indicated by the dashed
line 22 in the different container positions as shown in FIGS. 2,
4a, and 4b. The container 10 may be made of any of the usual
flexible plastics commonly utilized for squeeze bottles, and is
constructed so as to provide a generally cylindrical main sidewall
portion 24a and an integrally formed secondary sidewall portion 24b
of generally V-shaped transverse configuration, and which provides
a longitudinally extending channel 26 that extends between an
inclined endwall 28 at the top end of the container and an inclined
endwall 30 at the bottom end of the container.
The top end of the container is formed to provide an extended
charging neck portion 32 which is adopted to releasably receive a
closure cap 34. As thus arranged, the neck portion 32 is coaxial
with the longitudinal axis 36 of the cylindrical main sidewall
portion 24a. Since the nozzle is mounted on the inclined endwall
28, the powder cloud will be emitted from the nozzle in an angular
direction towards the apex of the V-shaped secondary sidewall
portion 24b. Thus, the transverse configuration of the cylindrical
main sidewall portion 24a and the secondary sidewall portion 24b is
such as to induce its being manually gripped in an oriented
operating position in which the nozzle discharge will be directed
away from the user, and in which opposite sides of the main
sidewall portion 24a will be properly positioned for squeezing in
the direction of the opposed arrows 38, as shown in FIG. 3. For
convenience, a plastic cap 40 is arranged to fit over the
projecting end of the nozzle 16 to close nozzle orifice 42, when
desired, this cap being attached by means of an integrally formed
flexible plastic strap 44.
Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, the discharge tube 14 is formed
into an elongate loop which has a U-bend portion 46a which is
positioned in the bottom of the container 10, a loop side-portion
46b which is seated in and extends along the channel 26 and
terminates at a sealed pinched end 48 which is positioned in the
top end of the container. A loop side portion 46c of the tube 14
extends to and terminates at an end connected with the nozzle
16.
A feature of the arrangement just described is that the channel 26
serves to anchor and orient the looped discharge tube within the
container in a position in which the plane of the loop is oriented
diametrically of the cylindrical main sidewall portion 24a of the
container.
Another important feature of the arrangement is that the loop
side-portion 46c is devoid of openings between the opening 20a and
the nozzle. This portion of the discharge tube has no opening to
the interior of the container and provides a mixing area or mixing
chamber 46a and 46d in which the air and powder will be thoroughly
intermixed prior to being forced from the nozzle 16 as a powder
cloud.
The U-bend portion 46a of the tube provides a trap which prevents
inadvertent spilling of the powder through the nozzle when the
container is in an inverted position.
Restrictive openings are placed on opposite sides of the U-bend,
there being an opening 18 positioned at 20a and an opening
positioned at 20b. These openings are positioned on the opposite
sides of the longitudinal axis 36 of the container near the closed
end of the container. The opening 20b is positioned in the channel
26 at the closed end of the container. In the nozzle end of the
chamber and in a position opposite to the nozzle as indicated by
20d are three openings at 18.
Extensive tests have indicated that the interrelationship of the
dimensions of the tube 14, its length, wall thickness and diameter,
the size of the nozzle orifice, and the size of the restrictive
openings 18 and the length of the opening passage as determined by
the wall thickness of the tube give much superior results. As
exemplary of a preferred construction which has proved very
successful in use, detailed dimensions as hereinafter noted have
been utilized. For example, the container 10 has a height of 9
inches and a diameter of approximately 21/2 inches. The discharge
tube 14 is approximately 18 inches in length and is constructed of
thin walled tubing to reduce any clogging tendency. The internal
diameter of the tubing is 0.200 of an inch. The nozzle opening is
0.100 of an inch. The openings 18 are 0.040 to 0.070 of an inch in
diameter.
Each of the opening positions 22a, 22b and 22d show the separate
openings 18 at three positions in the tube and in the container.
The opening position 22a is in the lower part of the container and
near the closed end thereof. Directly opposite is the opening
position 20b. These two opening positions are at opposite sides of
the container and on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 36.
The length of the openings 18 is determined by the thickness of the
tube wall which is in the form of the invention shown is from 0.040
to 0.050 of an inch. It has been found that by making the length of
the openings no longer than the diameter of the openings the
tendency of the powder to clog is practically eliminated.
The openings 18 comprise "restrictive openings" or "restrictive
opening means". These terms are used in the description and claims
to mean that the individual openings are of less cross-sectional
area than the area of cross-section of the passage 14a in the tube
14. When the container is quickly squeezed, the pressure therein is
increased and there will be a pressure drop across all of the
openings 18. The pressure within the tube 14 is less than the
pressure within the container and this lower pressure in the tube
14 causes a back pressure at all of the openings 18 so that the
rate of flow through these restrictive openings from the container
into the passage of the tube will be controlled. Because of the
nozzle orifice 42, the pressure in the passage 14a will be above
atmospheric pressure. The air and powder will be thoroughly mixed
under pressure in the mixing chamber of the passage 14a, and the
mixture will then be released to atmospheric pressure through the
nozzle orifice 42. The amount of air or powder moving into the tube
passage through the openings (depending upon which are in the "air"
and which are in the "powder" areas) will be properly proportioned
to cause controlled volumes of air and powder to flow into and
through the tube passage 14a irrespective of the operative position
of the container.
In the functioning of the powder dispenser of the present
invention, it will be evident from a consideration of FIGS. 2, 4a
and 4b that in any desired operating orientation of the container,
squeezing of the container will be increased at all parts of the
container, including the air space as well as the space containing
the powder. This increase in pressure causes air to flow through
the restrictive openings that are positioned in the air supply
space, and causes powder to move through any restricted opening
that is positioned in the powder supply space.
When the container is in the position as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4a
the restrictive opening means at 20a and 20b are below the powder
level while the restricted openings at 20d are above the powder
level. When the container is squeezed, air will flow through the
openings of 20d and through the tube 14 and toward the nozzle 16.
The flow of air will pick up powder which is moved into the tube at
the openings 20a and 20b carrying it toward the exhaust end of the
tube. When the air and powder reach the mixing chamber 46c of the
tube, the air and powder becomes thoroughly and intimately mixed
prior to its reaching the nozzle 16. The mixing is so thorough and
intimate that the air and powder will be forced outwardly through
the nozzle opening 42 in the form of a cloud.
When the container is inverted, such, for example, as shown in FIG.
46 with the powder level at 22b, the opening at 20a will be in the
air portion of the chamber while the openings at 20b and 20d will
be in the Powder area. When the air and powder move past the
opening at 20a, it passes into and through the mixing chamber where
they are throughly mixed and forced out through the nozzle in the
form of a cloud. If the level of the powder is at 22c, the openings
20a and 20b will be exposed to air while the opening 22d will be
exposed to powder. Even at this low level of powder, the operation
of the dispenser will still function to produce the powder in the
form of a cloud.
Referring back to FIG. 4a, when the dispenser is in an upright
tilted position as shown, the openings 20a and 20b will be in the
powder area and the openings 20d will be in the air space area.
However, when the powder level has been reduced so that it is at
the level 22a in FIG. 4a, the opening 20b will be in the powder
area while the openings 20a and 20d will be in the air area. It
will be noted that the opening 20b is in the trough or channel 26
and if the dispenser is tilted slightly more, such as indicated by
the broken line 22d, almost all of the powder can be dispensed.
While specific dimensions have been given above for a typical
operative embodiment, it is to be understood that deviations may be
made from these dimensions.
From the foregoing description, it is believed that it will be
appreciated that the heretofore outlined objects of the invention
will be attained by powder dispenser embodying the described
features, and that it provides inherent advantages over prior known
devices for the productions of a dusting cloud.
Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in
the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the
disclosed invention. For example, although the single channel 26 is
fully effective and adequate, a channel could be placed at the
opposite side of the container and in which the passage forming
means or tube could extend. In view of the possible modifications,
it is not the desire to be restricted to the specific form shown or
uses mentioned except to the extent indicated in the appended
claims.
* * * * *